California Golden Bears

Nov. 8, 1997

Arizona State-Cal Post-Game Quotes

Cal Head Coach Tom Holmoe

General comments
"It was a strange game. We fought hard, but offensively we just couldn't seem to move the ball against them. I don't know if that is really a surprise because their defense is very good and they played well.

On the Cal offense
"In the fourth quarter, I was proud of that (Cal's offense). The fact that we came out and battled back. From being shut down for three quarters of the game and maybe even more, to be able to come back and fight hard and come within seven. But they ran the clock down at the end. We had a shot, a legitimate shot at the end and that is what we can play for."

On the Cal defense
"The Cal defense played hard, very hard. And that's a good offensive team that Arizona State put on the field. They got a lot of yards, but we stopped them when we needed to in a lot of key situations. I think the defense is getting better, especially up front. They are becoming accustomed to the front and the stunts and the movement and the blitzes that we run. They are starting to gel together. They are looking cleaner and they're learning to play together. "

On key plays
"A couple big plays really hurt us. The dropped fumble (the fumble snap) was hard on a defensive team that was working hard. And, then for them to score a touchdown on a hitch pass on a missed tackle tugs at your heart. I feel bad for a team to play that hard and give up a silly little play like that."

On Arizona State
"I wouldn't want to leave here without saying that that (Arizona State) is a good team. A lot of credit goes to them. They run hard. Their starting tailback gets hurt and the second guy runs really well. They gave us a lot of trouble up front on defense. That really stymied us. We couldn't run the ball early and they put a lot of pressure on the quarterback. It kept us out of balance."

On the future
"We are not going to hang it up. We have two games left. And, they are awfully big games. One against Arizona on the road, which we would love to come away with a great win. And, of course, the 100th big game, which is looming in the near future. The team will not quit. They will play hard the rest of the way. I'll leave it at that."

Cal Player Quotes

Justin Vedder
On Cal's slow start:
"Penalties killed us. We'd have a great play- a great run, a completion- and then get a penalty and bring it back. Things like that killed us. It would have been a much different first half (without the penalties.)"

"We came out struggling in the first half and could have put up points when our defense was holding them. Basically, our offense gave them 10 points, with the interception and the fumbled snap. We have to come out and compete, and play physical, like we did (in the games we won).

On Bobby Shaw's record:
"It means a lot to me to have thrown the ball (that broke the record). He's a great guy who cares about people and the team. He makes plays and it a leader on the field."

Marquis Smith
On Cal's play:
"Today, we proved we have the intensity and the know-how to play with good teams, and we took a big step forward. In the past, after a big play, we came out with our heads down; today we let it go and continued on, and ended up having a good game."

Brian Treggs
On Bobby Shaw breaking his record:
"I wanted my record to stand forever, but it's good to turn it over to a quality player."

Bobby Shaw
On his final game at Memorial Stadium:
"It was very emotional coming out before the game; tears started welling up. There were a lot of family and friends here to support me."

On breaking the record, but losing the game:
"(It's bittersweet); you feel like you can't enjoy it to the fullest because you didn't win the game, but you have to enjoy what you have, and I will enjoy the whole experience when it's all said and done."

On the Cal offense's slow start:
"It took us a minute to get the offense going, but once we got it going, we picked up some momentum and started to figure things out. Guys started individually picking up little things may have been slowing us down, and things started coming together. We were just 7 points short."

Brandon Whiting
On his final game at Memorial Stadium:
"It won't hit me that it was my last game until next weekend, when we play away. It was exciting to have my family down on the field before the game."

On Cal's defense:
"The Oregon State gave us a confidence boost. This week in practice, we practiced really hard, and started to come together as a defense. We were really emotional, and it carried over to today. Our defense has a bright future. Our defensive line is really deep, with a lot of guys who are really young. They are going to be one of the strengths of the team next year."

Arizona State Head Coach Bruce Snyder

"We needed to play well to beat this team. We knew coming out at halftime that this was going to be a tough game. Tom Holmoe's staff, I really want to credit them; their team never quits. I've watched every single game, they're not always ahead, but they play as hard the whole game- and they did that against us. If you do that long enough, you're going to win some games."

"We played great defensive football for three quarters. That quarterback [Justin Vedder] is a heck of a player.The only yardage I thought they could get on us was that scrambling. I don't know where we all went, but all of a sudden he was running down the field."

Snyder about being in a position to return to the Rose Bowl:
"I am not surprised one bit. As early as last February I met with the team, and my words to them were you have the talent to go back to the Rose Bowl and try to get done what you didn't get done. The key issue is whether you come together as a team, but we have the talent to be there."

"J.R. Redmond is clearly one of the dominant players in our conference, and maybe one of the truly great players in the nation. He can run, block, return kicks and return punts. We are a good football team when he is in the game."

"Cal is going to be a good, thats just too well a coached team. I think Tom has done a great job, and it's going to fall into place for them; Tom is going to make that happen. They just need some patience. That is going to be a good football program. That's scary to me."

Arizona State Player Quotes

Courtney Jackson
"Coach Snyder told us the results of the Washington v. Oregon game at halftime. We were already motivated, but I guess that was a little more motivation. To go out in the second-half and but (Cal) away. We pride ourselves on being a fourth-quarter and second-half team, Coach wants us to go out there and be focused and dominate the second-half. He said at the end of the half that if we go out and win we're going to be tied for first place in the Pac-10 because Oregon beat Washington."

"It was a weird game. (Cal is) the kind of offense where if you don't put them away and knock them out, they're still going to be around throwing punches at you late in the game. That's what we're not doing. We have teams down, and we've knocked them out a couple of times, but we just haven't knocked them out yet."

Creig Spann
On being in first place: "It feels real good. It lets us know that we really are in the Rose Bowl hunt. If we just keep winning and doing our job, we'll be there."

On personal performance: "This may be one of the biggest games for me, mainly because of the big difference coming from a junior college to a division-I school. I think this probably is the biggest highlight game of my career."

On Improvement: "Keep coming out to practice and working hard every day trying to get better each and every day. I'm a student of the game. I keep learning from whoever is making plays. It lets me know I cam do the same thing."

Ryan Kealy
"Our goal obviously is to go to the Rose Bowl, and every loss for Washington is probably good for us. We just have to keep on winning and hope they lose."

On scoreless game late: "It was a tight game early. Once things got going we really drove the ball down well. Cal played a hell of a game. They are a really good team who came out to play and hit us in the mouth a couple of times and woke us up."

On big plays: "We weren't concerned about getting big plays. We just wanted to drive the ball and get some scores. We were fortunate to get a big play out of our receivers and running backs, so it just worked out."

On being in first place: "It feels good. It's not over by a long shot."

J.R. Redmond
"We had a slow start offensively. The defense went out there and got after them. But we started to calm down, make the right calls, and move the ball down the field."

"The final score is all that matters. We came out real flat and got a little nervous, but soon enough everything started to click."

On personal performance:
"My best? I don't think so. I'm still looking for that break-out game, but it was a good game, and I think I did a good job."

Jeremy Staat
On half-time update of Washington loss:
"I heard him say it, but I just put it out of my mind. What was on my mind was winning because if we lost this game it wouldn't make a difference."

On personal performance:
"I think I'm still peaking and learning to play my position."

On Rose bowl:
"As long as we keep winning, the Rose Bowl is an option."

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